On June 24, 2024, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, in charge of the Pope’s charity work, will be traveling to Ukraine for the eighth time since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, to deliver medical material, the Dicastery for the Service of Charity announced on the same day. The Polish cardinal and prefect of the Dicastery will bring an ambulance and medicine and will also inaugurate a rehabilitation center for war victims on behalf of Pope Francis.
"The Holy Father's prayer and closeness become concrete in helping those who are suffering from the devastating effects of war," the press release says. “These concrete gestures of compassion are meant to open the way for mercy to reach the grace of forgiveness.”
On the morning of June 24, Pope Francis left the Santa Marta residence where he lives to greet Cardinal Krajewski, who was once again on his way to Ukraine to provide medical and material support at the Pontiff's request. A photo published by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity shows him blessing an ambulance that will shortly be delivered to a Ukrainian hospital.
The rescue vehicle, equipped with a mobile resuscitation unit, will travel almost 3000 kilometers (around 1864 miles) to reach its destination. It is the third ambulance that the Pope has sent to Ukraine since 2022. The Holy See convoy is also carrying “a large quantity of essential and life-saving medicines" from the Vatican pharmacy and the Gemelli hospital in Rome, the statement explained.
A new center to help victims
During his trip, the Polish cardinal is also due to inaugurate the "John Paul II” medical center in the diocese of Kamyanets-Podilskyy, close to the border with Romania, “for the integral, physical and psychological rehabilitation of those who have suffered war trauma." This center, like others in Ukraine, was "wanted by Pope Francis" and it was financed with contributions from pontifical foundations such as the Papal Foundation and Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the press release states.
Cardinal Krajewski, who has not hesitated to get close to the combat zones on previous trips, and has even come directly under fire, will this time deliver his donations in the Zboriv district, a region relatively far from the front line. Located between Lviv and Ternopil in the west of the country, this area nevertheless receives many soldiers and civilians that are wounded or fleeing the region bordering Russia, “where the bloodiest hostilities are,” the press release explains.
